Photographic camera



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' Patented Peb. 8, 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH P. MEYER, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK.

PHOTOGRAPHE() CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,559, dated February 8, 1898. Application filed September 9, 1897. Serial No. 651,09 '7. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH P. MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras; and its object is to produce light, cheap, and compact mechanism for focusing, which mechanism shall also sustain the lens-board parallel at all times with the body of the camera.

To these ends the invention consists in novel features of construction and in novel combinations of parts, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view showing the camera extended, part of the bellows being broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a camera folded. Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the mechanism for focusing the camera, and Fig. et is a perspective view illustrating part of one of the supports for the lens-board.

Referring to the drawings, l indicates the case of the camera, into which the bellows and lens-board may be folded. To the lower front edge of the case is hinged a base 2, which is connected to the tripod or camera-support when the camera is in use, the base being held in a horizontal position by braces 3 and clamping-screws 4:. lVhen the camera is folded, the base 2 folds up into the position shown in Fig. 2, the clamping-screws sliding upward in slots 5 in the case.

The lens-board G, which is of ordinary construction, is supported by three or more, preferably four, latticed supports A, commonlycalled lazy-tongs. At their forward ends the lazy-tongs are connected to the lensboard by hinges 7 of suitable construction, and at their rear ends their branches are connected to nuts S upon right and left screws E). As clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.-, the forward parts of the lazy-tongs each consistl of a single series of cross-bars l0, while the rear part of each lazy-tongs consists of adouble series of cross-bars 1l. The cross-bars 1l are pivoted to opposite sides of the nuts S and pivoted to each other where they cross. The forward ends of the bars Il are connected by pivots l2, upon each of which are two fillingbloclrs or washers 13. The first pair of the single series of bars' lO is centrally connected to the pivots l2 between the blocks or washers 13. This construction of lazy-tongs is stiff and light, and at the same time it folds very compactly.

In order to insure the parallelism of the lens-board, the right and left screws are all connected by means of bevel-gears 14, so that they can be turned simultaneously. One 0f the screw-shafts is provided with a suitable knob or handle 15, by turning which all of the screws are rotated in unison, and the lensboard can be carried in or out by a smooth and steady movement to properly focus the camera.

The lazy-tongs may be constructed of steel, aluminium, rubber, or other suitable material. Theyare preferably constructed of thin steel plates. They are also preferably contained within the bellows 1G and therefore protected from dampness and corrosion.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a cam era, mechanism for focusing and for sustaining the lens-board at all times parallel with the case 'of the camera, said mechanism consisting of a plurality of right and left screws mounted in the case and connected by gearing, nuts on said screws, and a corresponding plurality of lazy-tongs, each lazytongs having its inner members connected to the nuts on one of the screws and its outer end connected by a suitable hinge to the lensboard, substantially as described.

2. In a camera, mechanism for focusing and for sustaining the lens-board at all times parallel with the case of the camera, said mechanism consisting of a plurality of right and left screws mounted in the case and connected by gearing, a pair of nuts on each screw, a lazy-tongs connected with each pair of nuts,'each lazy-tongs having a double series of bars ll connected to opposite sides of the nuts and a single series of bars l0 pivotally connected with the bars l1, and a lens-board connected to the forward ends of the lazytongs by suitable hinges, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'JOSEPH P. MEYER.

Witnesses e J. B. BUnnEL, GEO. A. WILSON.

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